The present invention relates to an IC socket of the type for placing an IC package on an IC package placing area of a socket body to superpose IC leads of the IC package on resilient contacts of the socket body and closing a cover relative to the socket body to obtain reliable contact between the IC leads and the resilient contacts.
The IC socket of this type is disclosed such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,515,424 and 4,560,216, for example, and is typically shown in FIG. 1.
The IC socket shown in FIG. 1 comprises a socket body 1, an IC lead pressing cover 2 rotatably attached to one end of the socket body 1 by means of a pivot 3 and integrally provided with pads 6 which project from the inner surface of the cover 2 to press IC leads 5 of an IC package 8 placed on the socket body 1 against resilient contacts 4 of the socket body 1, and a lock member 7 for locking/unlocking the cover 2 relative to the socket body 1. With this structure, the cover 2 is rotated about the pivot 3 and closed relative to the socket body 1 having the IC package 8 received in the IC package receiving area thereof with the IC leads 5 superposed on the corresponding resilient contacts 4, and the closed state is retained by means of the lock member 7, with the result that the pads 6 integral with the cover 2 press the IC leads 5 against the resilient contacts 4 to obtain electrical connection between the IC leads 5 and the resilient contacts 4. In the course of closing the cover 2 relative to the socket body 1, however, a lateral row of IC leads 5 arranged close to the pivot 3 is pressed at first by the pad 6 disposed close to the pivot 3 and the opposite lateral row of IC leads arranged away from the pivot 3 is then pressed by the pad 6 disposed away from the pivot 3. In other words, it is difficult to carry out simultaneous pressing of all IC leads 5 against the resilient contacts 4 by means of the pads. This means that deviation load is exerted onto the lateral row of IC leads 5 arranged close to the pivot 3 and that there is a fair possibility of the IC leads 5 being deformed. Furthermore, since the IC leads 5 in longitudinal rows are successively pressed by the pads 6 from the side close to the pivot 3 to the side close to the free end of the cover 2, deviation force will be applied to the IC leads 5 in the width direction. This may possibly cause deformation of the IC leads 5 and lateral displacement of the IC package 8.